Quest for Mideast peace drives camp in 17th season

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"For the 17th year in a row, Israeli and Palestinian teenagers have come together at a summer camp in the western Maine woods to make new friendships, understand each other's dreams and fears, and possibly lay a groundwork for peace in the Middle East.

After January's bloody fighting in Gaza, the emergence in March of a hardline government in Israel and continuing disunity among Palestinian factions, hopes for peace in the region may seem difficult to sustain.

But as Seeds of Peace welcomed Israelis, Palestinians and teenagers from six other countries to its annual free summer camp last week, the spirit of optimism that has taken root at the 67-acre site along Pleasant Lake seems as strong as ever.

"The idea is to get to common ground," said Monica, an Egyptian teenager. "Even if you don't agree, what you have to accept about the other opinion is that it exists." She, like many other campers, prefer to be identified only by first name.

Amit, an Israeli, said the camp allows youngsters from countries in conflict to overcome their differences and accept each other for what they are.

"This is something that happens only in Seeds of Peace, where you have an Israeli, a Palestinian, a Pakistani, an Indian and an Afghan all sleeping in the same bunk, laughing at the same joke. This is so unique," he said."

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[LeftishBrit]

1. k & would r if I could, for a very inspiring project!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

2. Not going to bring peace, but probably beneficial for the children involved.

This isn't a meanginful contribution to the Middle East peace process - it's too late for bridge building, I think - but it will almost certainly benefit the children who go by expanding their horizons.

And, after all, most other summer camps aren't going to bring peace in the ME either..

[Ken Burch]

3. Those kids are better than their governments.

Why can't it ever be people with values like THAT that end up in power anywhere?